Liverpool are reportedly battling with Manchester United and Chelsea over a deal to sign Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, as per TEAMtalk.
The Reds decided to revamp the squad this summer but left the engine room untouched. So, Arne Slot currently has Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, and Dominik Szoboszlai as options for this position.
The Hungarian is a versatile player, comfortable in both the CAM and right-back positions as well as the midfield. Moreover, the Merseyside club have Wataru Endo, but he has struggled to find regular game time under Slot.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that the Dutch boss is ‘keen’ on adding a fresh face to the engine room in January and has identified Wharton as the ‘prime target’ due to his versatility.
However, the 21-year-old’s recent eye-catching displays have also attracted Chelsea and Man Utd’s attention, with Newcastle United plotting a swoop as well.
The Blues already have Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Romeo Lavia, and Andrey Santos for midfield. But Enzo Maresca wants to create further competition for the current crop.
Battle
Man Utd have been tracking Wharton for months and see him as a cornerstone for their midfield rebuild. They even attempted to buy the youngster this summer, but Crystal Palace refused to let him leave.
United also like Carlos Baleba and could make a concrete approach to secure his service next year. If that were to happen, Chelsea and Liverpool would get a clear pathway to sign Wharton.
The Englishman still has four years left in his current contract, so the South London club aren’t in any rush to sell him, but could change their stance should they receive an offer of around £60m.
Wharton likes to play in the deep-lying playmaker position and is efficient in playing threading passes between the lines. He has helped the Eagles win the FA Cup and Community Shield under Oliver Glasner.
Chelsea already have numerous top-class midfielders, and it would be difficult for Wharton to play regularly at Stamford Bridge if he goes there. On the other hand, he might be used as a rotational option at Liverpool.
However, Wharton is expected to become the first-choice option at Man Utd straight away should he move to Old Trafford, as Casemiro is likely to leave next year, while Bruno Fernandes might also depart.
